Champions Day drew 48,242 race-goers on Sunday and the buoyant crowd was treated to an afternoon of outstanding Group 1 action on the Sha Tin turf.

Beauty Generation put himself into the picture for Hong Kong Horse of the Year honours after confirming his place as the best 1600m horse in town with victory in the G1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday.

A star was born in Sunday's HK$16 million Chairman’s Sprint Prize as the John Size-trained Ivictory defied a hefty rise in class and two outstanding stablemates to claim the 1200m Group 1 in a rare stable first three in this level of race.

Hong Kong’s wayward son came of age at Sha Tin on Sunday, and oh, how the crowd loved it. Pakistan Star smashed his rivals in the G1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) with a performance of uncomplicated superiority. 

A multitude of racing fans at large, presumably bar those associated with rival runners, will no doubt be hoping the unpredictable and enigmatic Pakistan Star will consent to do his best and win, for Hong Kong, Sunday’s HK$24 million Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup.

Trainer Charlie Appleby declared himself content with his G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize runner Blue Point on Friday morning, two days out from the HK$16 million feature.

Japanese trainer Hidetaka Otonashi has drawn on the experience of his one previous Hong Kong runner to potentially have Danburite, his high class middle-distance performer, in the best order for Sunday’s HK$24 million G1 Audemars Piguet QEII Cup (2000m).

Lucky Bubbles is ready to burst back into the Group 1 sprint picture in Sunday’s HK$16 million Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), a race that trainer Francis Lui is hoping will relaunch his gelding towards Royal Ascot and beyond.

Sam Clipperton has picked up a plum spare ride aboard Mr Stunning in the HK$16 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, 29 April and is confident that the likely race favourite is the horse all others need to fear most.

The art of watching trackwork, at its core, is to watch horses run around in circles; at least, that’s the intention. Sometimes, though, the best-laid plans go awry, as it did at Sha Tin on Thursday morning with Japan’s G1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup raider Al Ain.

The Racing Stewards of the Hong Kong Jockey Club have acted today (Wednesday) to disqualify jockey Nash Rawiller with immediate effect for breaches of the Rules of Racing prohibiting a jockey from having an interest in a bet (Rule 59(3)) and from receiving a benefit for providing tips (Rule 59(2)).

In what has been a month of milestones for jockey Zac Purton, the rider reached a new level after scoring a five-timer at Happy Valley on Wednesday evening.

Joao Moreira partnered Seasons Bloom on the Sha Tin turf on Thursday morning and the champion jockey’s assessment three days out from the HK$18 million Champions Mile resounded with positivity.

Hong Kong is set to be represented at Royal Ascot this year, with trainer Francis Lui eyeing an overseas campaign with his stable star Lucky Bubbles.

Japan has rarely failed to make an impact on Hong Kong’s international racing stage whether it be December’s four race extravaganza or Sunday’s now three race Champions Day.

Neil Callan is hoping that Beauty Only’s recent resurgence is a sign that his old ally’s fire has been rekindled ahead of Sunday’s (29 April) G1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse. The bay was a close second in last year’s edition of the HK$18 million Champions Day feature.

The Stewards late yesterday afternoon opened an inquiry into a report provided by the Club’s Security and Integrity Department relative to an interview conducted by them at the direction of the Chief Stipendiary Steward with licensed Club Jockey N Rawiller earlier that day.

Beauty Generation, the highest rated runner in Sunday’s HK$18 million G1 Champions Mile, will join an elite group if he were to add this race to his G1 Hong Kong Mile win last December.

Southern Legend will look to step out of the Group 1 shadows in Sunday’s HK$18 million Champions Mile at Sha Tin.

Jockey Umberto Rispoli hopes that his association with honest galloper Giant Turtle can continue to reap rewards when he partners the stayer in the Class 3 Busan Handicap (2200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Jockey Umberto Rispoli hopes that his association with honest galloper Giant Turtle can continue to reap rewards when he partners the stayer in the Class 3 Busan Handicap (2200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Southern Legend will look to step out of the Group 1 shadows in Sunday’s HK$18 million Champions Mile at Sha Tin.

Patience is a virtue that trainer Benno Yung knows well. On Sunday at Sha Tin, his Champions Day hopes will rest squarely on the fulfilment of his steady nurturing of a late-maturing galloper with a Group 1 heritage – Pingwu Spark, a great-grandson of a Juddmonte legend.

Trainer Tony Millard has his sights set on next season with Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) winner Singapore Sling, but he is still hopeful of a big effort when the four-year-old drops back to 1600m for the G1 Champions Mile at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Mr Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of The Hong Kong Jockey Club addressed delegates of the 15th World Equine Veterinary Association (WEVA) Congress in Beijing on Sunday.

Jockey Zac Purton will enter one of Hong Kong racing’s biggest weeks on the calendar in top form, having scored a double aboard promising three-year-olds Handsome Bo Bo and Ugly Warrior at Sha Tin on Saturday.

Glorious Artist lowered the 1800m dirt course record significantly when taking the Class 3 Force For Good Handicap over the Sha Tin all-weather track on Saturday.

A Zac Purton treble dominated events at Happy Valley on Wednesday, 18 April, with the premiership title chaser reaching a career landmark and bagging the night’s trophy race for good measure.

Jockey Keith Yeung sealed a race-to-race double when Clear Choice (118lb) held Split Of A Second (118lb) by half a length to win the Class 4 Ewo Challenge Trophy Handicap (1200m). That followed Art Of Raw’s show of stamina in the preceding Class 4 Kowloon Tsai Handicap (2200m).

Zac Purton wants to see the front-runners match his mount’s name in the Class 3 Hong Kong Rugby Union Cup Handicap (1200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday, 18 April.

It’s all about rhythm with Prawn Baba (123lb). On Sunday afternoon the gelding’s honest drum-beat gallop saw him run away with the Class 2 Kowloon Cricket Club Centenary Cup Handicap (2200m) at Sha Tin Racecourse.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club advised on Thursday that seven horses have been entered for the S$1.5m SGroup 1 Invitation Kranji Mile (1600m) to be held at Kranji Racecourse on Saturday, May 26th, 2018.

Brett Prebble took the kudos at Happy Valley on Wednesday night thanks to an astute double that featured a longshot win on 54/1 chance Star Majestic (121lb). 

Pretty Bauhinia (126lb) gave Karis Teetan the middle leg of a three-timer when successful in Wednesday evening’s trophy race at Happy Valley, the Class 3 Indian Recreation Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1650m).

Champions Day at Sha Tin Racecourse on 29 April will for the first time bring together on one race day the Chairman’s Sprint Prize, Champions Mile and Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup, three world class Group 1 races worth a combined HK$58 million.

A classic winner from Japan, the best of Hong Kong’s talented 10-furlong cohort and a talented contender from Aidan O’Brien’s powerful team are among eleven horses selected for a world class edition of the G1 Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sunday, 29 April.

Patriot Hero (119lb) brings Hong Kong Derby form to Wednesday (11 April) night’s Happy Valley card, albeit a slender thread, as trainer David Ferraris continues the “lovely” galloper’s progression with a first outing at the city track.

Beauty Only revisited past glories at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sunday, returning to form with a rattling late run to win an action-packed edition of the Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m).

Jockey Joao Moreira declared that Beat The Clock was potentially “the best sprinter” in Hong Kong after the galloper scored his first Group victory with a strong last-to-first win in the G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Solar Patch (123lb) took the Class 3 Beijing Clubhouse Anniversary Cup Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin Racecourse on Sunday, as jockey Sam Clipperton and trainer John Moore clicked for the first time this season.

Time Warp and Pakistan Star are among the big names on the starter list for Sunday’s Group 2 Chairman’s Trophy over a mile at Sha Tin Racecourse.

One of the stories of the current Hong Kong season has been the depth among trainer John Size’s brigade of sprinters, and with three runners in Sunday’s (8 April) G2 Sprint Cup at Sha Tin,

In a season of general disappointment for John Moore, Helene Paragon ranks amongst the biggest letdowns. A dual Group 1 winner last year and a contender for 2017 Champion Miler honours, the bay’s efforts this term have fallen short, but the trainer retains faith.   

Beauty Generation is among the star draws for a top-class Group 2 double-header at Sha Tin on Sunday, 8 April, with trainer John Moore looking to use the Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) as a step-up to G1 Champions Mile glory, and ultimately, he hopes, Horse of the Year honours.
 

Jockey Karis Teetan believes that talented grey Fifty Fifty is in the right frame of mind to produce his best in Sunday’s (8 April) G2 Chairman’s Trophy (1600m) after performing strongly in a barrier trial at Sha Tin on Tuesday morning.

Jockey Nash Rawiller took riding honours at Sha Tin’s Easter Monday meeting with a treble, but it was the final pin of his three-timer aboard the Richard Gibson-trained Harmony Hero in the Class 3 Primula Handicap (1400m) that may have held the most significance.

Apprentice Victor Wong celebrated a major milestone in his career with his first Hong Kong victory at Sha tin on Monday aboard Always Win in the day’s feature, the Class 3 Hong Kong Lions Cup Handicap (1200m).